Big Pictures: Mamallapuram

We spent two days in Mamallapuram, on the road between Chennai and Pondicherry. It’s a pleasant small town – pretty full of tourists who are there to take in the stone temples and beach climate. I don’t think early February is the height of tourist season, so the atmosphere was relaxed.

The Shore Temple – built from solid granite, dating back to the 8th century AD

Friendly and curious local kids

Beach dogs

The Pancha Rathas, five monuments carved out of solid blocks of stone, each one meant to resemble a chariot

Human inserted for scale

The monuments were completely buried by sand and weren’t rediscovered until the 19th century

A beautifully realized stone elephant

Carved in the 7th century, yet such evocative poses

Mila took in a sunset with a new goat friend

“Check out my bull.”

Massive relief sculptures

Mamllapuram school kids going home

Mamallapuram faces the Bay of Bengal. Despite the tourism, it is still a fishing village.

Mamallapuram faces the Bay of Bengal. Despite the tourism, it is still a fishing village.

Scarry little puffer fish washed ashore

…and a bloated dead sea turtle. It’s not the most pristine of beaches.

There we are

We fortunately never had use for these public facilities

We fortunately never had use for these public facilities

I think years of sun have rendered the Vodafone color a bit off brand

Just another family roaming around

Awesome Atlas Bicycles advertisement

The lighthouse, another Mamallapuram landmark

Complex of mostly un-carved stones around the lighthouse. Note the guy relaxing on the rock.